Bigfoot family sets up home in North Bonneville's trail system (no foolin')

View full sizeJake Meyer/skamania.orgPart of the bigfoot family taking up residence in North Bonneville, Wash.

A family of sasquatch, also known as bigfoot, is taking up residence in the woods around North Bonneville, Wash.

Yes, really.

An entire family of sasquatch has arrived in the quiet Columbia Gorge community from the surrounding Cascade forests.

While the family takes some time to get situated, rumors are swirling that the Great Elder Sasquatch is 12 feet tall and weighs 1,500 pounds.

The community has long embraced the legend of bigfoot and is gearing up for a big welcoming event Saturday, July 6.

Open to the public, the unveiling will take place at the city entrance at 7 p.m. North Bonneville is located 30 miles east of the Portland/Vancouver area on S.R. 14.

The bigfoot family concept was developed by the city's Heritage Trails Committee as part of creating interpretive features along the 12 miles of pathways in and around the community. In addition to the main family, there are eight bigfoot children hiding out in the trees and rocks along a 1/4 mile paved loop in the community park.

The arrival of Great Elder will coincide with the city's annual Gorge Days festivities that evening to include a Classic Car show, BBQ dinner and Sock-hop dance.

Not only will you see these bigfoot in the woods, but they are also made of wood, carved into form by chainsaws. Ken Craig of Washougal is the artist. His website is shotawoodcarving.com.

Skamania County, where North Bonneville is located, is a true "sasquatch refuge" because there is a county ordinance
making it illegal to hunt or harm bigfoot.

The first ordinance was passed in 1969, but then repealed and
amended (to lessen the fine and create the refuge) in 1984. Read the law here: bigfootlunchclub.com.

Skamania County has perhaps the most recorded number of
sightings in the country, though no one is sure who does the actual counting.